[Footnote70:PaulWarnefrid，deGestisLangobardorum，l。iv。c。

　　38，42。Muratori，Annalid\'Italia，tom。v。p。305，&c。]

　　[Footnote71:ThePaschalChronicle，whichsometimesintroducesfragmentsofhistoryintoabarrenlistofnamesanddates，givesthebestaccountofthetreasonoftheAvars，p。389，390。ThenumberofcaptivesisaddedbyNicephorus。]

　　[Footnote72:Someoriginalpieces，suchasthespeechorletteroftheRomanambassadors，p。386—388，likewiseconstitutethemeritofthePaschalChronicle，whichwascomposed，perhapsatAlexandria，underthereignofHeraclius。]

　　Ofthecharactersconspicuousinhistory，thatofHeracliusisoneofthemostextraordinaryandinconsistent。Inthefirstandlastyearsofalongreign，theemperorappearstobetheslaveofsloth，ofpleasure，orofsuperstition，thecarelessandimpotentspectatorofthepubliccalamities。Butthelanguidmistsofthemorningandeveningareseparatedbythebrightnessofthemeridiansun；theArcadiusofthepalacearosetheCaesarofthecamp；andthehonorofRomeandHeracliuswasgloriouslyretrievedbytheexploitsandtrophiesofsixadventurouscampaigns。ItwasthedutyoftheByzantinehistorianstohaverevealedthecausesofhisslumberandvigilance。Atthisdistancewecanonlyconjecture，thathewasendowedwithmorepersonalcouragethanpoliticalresolution；thathewasdetainedbythecharms，andperhapsthearts，ofhisnieceMartina，withwhom，afterthedeathofEudocia，hecontractedanincestuousmarriage；^73andthatheyieldedtothebaseadviceofthecounsellors，whourged，asafundamentallaw，thatthelifeoftheemperorshouldneverbeexposedinthefield。^74PerhapshewasawakenedbythelastinsolentdemandofthePersianconqueror；butatthemomentwhenHeracliusassumedthespiritofahero，theonlyhopesoftheRomansweredrawnfromthevicissitudesoffortune，whichmightthreatentheproudprosperityofChosroes，andmustbefavorabletothosewhohadattainedthelowestperiodofdepression。^75Toprovidefortheexpensesofwar，wasthefirstcareoftheemperor；andforthepurposeofcollectingthetribute，hewasallowedtosolicitthebenevolenceoftheeasternprovinces。Buttherevenuenolongerflowedintheusualchannels；thecreditofanarbitraryprinceisannihilatedbyhispower；andthecourageofHeracliuswasfirstdisplayedindaringtoborrowtheconsecratedwealthofchurches，underthesolemnvowofrestoring，withusury，whateverhehadbeencompelledtoemployintheserviceofreligionandtheempire。Theclergythemselvesappeartohavesympathizedwiththepublicdistress；andthediscreetpatriarchofAlexandria，withoutadmittingtheprecedentofsacrilege，assistedhissovereignbythemiraculousorseasonablerevelationofasecrettreasure。^76OfthesoldierswhohadconspiredwithPhocas，onlytwowerefoundtohavesurvivedthestrokeoftimeandoftheBarbarians；^77theloss，evenoftheseseditiousveterans，wasimperfectlysuppliedbythenewleviesofHeraclius，andthegoldofthesanctuaryunited，inthesamecamp，thenames，andarms，andlanguagesoftheEastandWest。

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